Cats and cherries
by smaugs-mommy
Summary: Young Peregrin Took does not like being the youngest...


****

AN: my first (and probably my last) attempt on fluff. Plot bunny from cpsings4him. Thank you CP!

As always - I've taken a couple of liberties as far as names places etc are concerned.

I tried to stay as close to the book as possible, still, the outer appearance is rather movie verse…

Summary: Young Pippin suffers from being the youngest. Unfortunately I have never been the youngest (but the oldest) so I do not know if I got it right…

And I also fear little Pip is a bit ooc…forgives me, I've never written him before...

**Cats and cherries**

Young Peregrin Took was sitting on a bench outside of Brandy Hall, eating cherries.

It was a warm summer's afternoon and the stones were still warm from the day's heat. Dark red roses were growing to both sides of the bench.

Clink.

Peregrin, who was called Pippin or just Pip by everyone except his own father, had spit out the stone of a cherry and hit a bowl he had placed about two metres away from him. He grinned cunningly and stuffed four more cherries into his little mouth.

Clink.

Clink.

The third stone hit a cat, which had been sleeping on the warm ground. It dashed away screaming. Pip watched as the white –pawed cat vanished behind a bush. Absentmindedly he grabbed for another cherry, but much to his disappointment they were all gone. He sighed and stood up, almost falling over the bowl as he stumbled forwards. There were more stones in that bowl than cherries could have fitted in the stomach of a five-year-old child, even if that child was a young hobbit.

Slowly, and regretfully chewing on his last stone he walked along the path, which led towards the big road. Two old cherry trees were growing there and the child eyed at them longingly.

…

Pippin sat down under the taller one, hoping that eventually a cherry might fall down for him to eat. When his wish finally came true the cherry falling down was abnormally big – and half-rotten. It burst when it hit the child's head. Red juice was running down his brow and into his pointy little ears; he looked as if he was bearing a deadly wound.

Wearing an expression of utter disgust and screaming as loud and pitiably as the cat had done before, Pippin jumped up and staggered onto the road. Too late did he hear the sound of approaching hoofs and he was almost run down by a brown pony, which was pulling a wagon. It stopped only inches before Pippin's nose. He screamed even louder now.

" Now, who's that?" asked a familiar voice and only seconds later Pippin felt himself being lifted up and hugged warmly. He stopped crying at once. " Frodo," he mumbled, snuggling up close to his cousin, smearing thick sticky cherry juice all over Frodo's white shirt, his cheeks and his neck.

Though Pippin felt very comfortable in his cousin's skinny (but nevertheless comparatively strong) arms, he was a little bit angry with Frodo. If it had not been for his cousin, he would not have been sitting outside, eating cherries and waiting for Frodo. He would not have gone to sit under the trees either. And never ever would that awfully rotten cherry have hit him…

"It's all your fault," he said.

"And you're late" he added, indignantly looking up into Frodo's face out of his round green eyes.

But his older cousin smiled. " I'm late, you say?" he grinned, putting Pippin back to the ground. " That's nothing new to me, little one".

The hobbit in the coachbox coughed to get Frodo's attention." Young Mr Baggins," he said when Frodo had turned around to face him " will you hop in again?"

" No thank you," Frodo apologized. " I think I shall walk with my little cousin. It is not far, after all" The other hobbit nodded in agreement and as Frodo and Pippin stepped aside he made the pony trot on. The two young hobbits coughed as a cloud of dust and sand was swirled up. " Frodo," Pippins voice was cheery again, now that most of the cherry was sticking to Frodo's shirt. "I should like some more cherries." Frodo sighed, he had been travelling for a long time, and was very much looking forward to a bath and something to eat, but he couldn't resist his young cousin's sweet smile. He took Pippin by the hand and made the child sit on his shoulders when they reached the trees. Pippin giggled with delight as he was asked to give Frodo some cherries as well. He tried to aim for Frodo's mouth, but as he was too busy searching for more of the tasty round fruits most of the cherries actually ended up in Frodo's ears.

Frodo did not complain, though. He might be old (twenty-seven by now), rather ugly (pale, and far too lean for hobbit measures) and only visiting twice a year, but he never complained about anything Pippin was doing, and the young lad loved him dearly.

After a short while Frodo considered his cousin's stomach as full, and carried Pippin away, listening to the happy, never-ceasing chatter.

Merry, a tall thirteen-year-old boy saw them coming from afar, and with a cheerful yell he flung his arm's around Frodo, who almost lost his balance and the grip of Pippin's legs. The latter sighed audibly. Now that Merry was around Frodo was most likely going to spend his time with that foolish Brandybuck.

Esmeralda came hurrying along after Merry. Taking the struggling Pippin from Frodo's shoulders she kissed the tween's cheeks. " Dear;" she said in a loving voice " How are you? You must be tired after your long journey. I have already heated some water for you. So you can take a bath straight away" She gave her son a soft push and put an arm around Frodo. She was glad to see the lad again.

" Come with me, dear, come with me now"

Merry frowned at her as she left with his cousin. Then he turned his head to frown down at Pippin. " You will _behave yourself _this time, won't you?"

" I _always _behave "the younger one said, pouting. He obviously had found something rather interesting in the depths of his nose; his smallest finger almost vanished in one of his nostrils. Merry pulled it out, grimacing with disgust, and wiped it clean with a large leaf he plucked from a bush.

" You've got cherry smear in your hair," Merry grinned nastily "And there was still more of it on Frodo's shirt. What did you do, I wonder? Are you calling smearing slimy stuff to your cousin's face good behaviour? Come on, let's go wash your hair, before your sister sees you". With those words Merry dragged the small hobbit towards the well and pulled up a big jug of water to wash his little cousin's light brown curls. Pippin glared at Merry and then at the jug in horror. " I don't need to have my hair washed!" he screamed and tried to escape. After a short fight he managed to get away indeed, but only to run straight into his sister's arms. "You're alright, Pip?" she asked, taking his chin and tilting his head up, to have a better look at his face. "You've been crying, poor thing," she wiped at his cheeks with her sleeves. "What has happened?" "M…M…Mer…Merry... " Pippin stammered. Pearl shot Merry a furious glance. " What did he do?" she asked, caressing Pip's back. He was crying at the top of his lungs by now. " …Wanted to wash my hair!!" he blurted out. His sister's expression changed from one second to the other." Well…" she said slowly, casting another look in Merry's direction. " He was right then, your hair is all sticky and reddish. It definitely needs a wash. Come with me." A second time he was dragged to the well, and he knew there would be no escape this time.

His screams could be heard even inside of Brandy Hall.

Frodo, who was cutting apples and potatoes into slices, grinned and closed the window of the kitchen. Little Pippin had not changed at all since he had seen him last.

The screams ceased very soon, and soft pattering noises were drawing closer, accompanied by muffled sobs.

Pippin (his hair was still wet and darker than usual) was brought into the kitchen by Pearl, who spotted Frodo at once and blushed.

"Oh…" she forgot completely that she had been going to give Pip some biscuits for having been so brave.

" It is _you! _How come…?"

She fell silent. Pippin scowled. Frodo smiled at her. " Uncle Bilbo is writing a rather difficult chapter of his story. He needs some peace," he explained.

Pippin squirmed out of Pearl's arms, knowing his sister was just swallowing Frodo with her eyes. He threw his arms around Frodo's legs and whimpered miserably. Frodo ruffled Pippin's still wet curls with one hand and continued to cut apples with the other one. The young lad closed his eyes for a moment. Pearl kept talking, and talking, and talking…poor cousin Frodo! He had only just escaped aunt Esmeralda and her bath tube, and now he had met Pearl, which was much worse. She actually looked as if she was about to kiss his unfortunate cousin. Pip did not want too witness the scene and pressed his head against Frodo's legs. In one of his cousin's hollow of the knees he found a mosquito bite, which looked rather swollen and painful. He started to scratch at it carefully, hoping he was doing Frodo a favour.

"Pip!" Frodo gave a surprised yelp and dropped his knife. " Don't touch my mosquito bites." He filled the apples and potatoes into a casserole and started to search for a grater.

" Frodo," Pearl said, pronouncing Frodo's name as if it was the most beautiful one she had ever heard. " You don't need to do this. You are a guest" Frodo smiled at her again, probably knowing perfectly well what effect his smile would have on the colour of Pearl's face.

It went a still brighter red.

" Firstly," he began, " no one makes potato casserole as good as I do. And secondly, " his voice changed into a grumble, " Saradoc told me to help. Said everyone older then ten has to help in the kitchens, whether he's a guest or not." Pippin was still clinging to his legs. " So, off you go, dear little cousin…. let…_go…_" Pippin's little fingers had cramped right into the mosquito bite. He moaned softly, as Pippin left the kitchen. Merry came in only seconds later. " Father told me to help you with the apples." He said. And turning to Pip, who was lurking around at the still half-open door, he added. " You can be so glad that you're the youngest, Pip. You never have to help. Everybody loves you, no matter what you're up to…you can play all day long…you are so lucky" Pippin stared at him, not looking lucky at all, but soaked and miserable. He threw the door shut and stalked away.

Lucky!

What did Merry know of being the youngest?

The fact that there had been times when Merry had been the youngest did not occur to his mind, he was way too frustrated to think clearly.

He went to sit down on the bench again; it was (closely followed by the dining room) his favourite place in Brandy Hall.

In the kitchen Merry kept complaining about Pip, and the way he caused naught but mischief.

Frodo shook his head, but had to fight down a smile. Merry had not changed either.

"The two of them are having their little fights all over the place lately," Pearl explained. " But there's no reason to worry. They are still best friends."

Merry made a very rude gesture. " Come on, help Frodo!" Pearl shouted. " I'll go and set a table".

….

They had dinner in the big dining room, together with a couple of other families. Pippin's hair had dried, and he was in a very good mood again. That was none too surprising, food always made him happy. Frodo was sitting at his side, though he was not very talkative.

Unfortunately Merry was sitting on Frodo's other side. With his mouth full of mushrooms and gratin Pippin scowled and tried to kick Merry. But his legs where far too short, and thus he hit Frodo, who spilled milk all over the table. " Frodo!" Saradoc thundered. He was still young, but his voice was very loud, and Frodo knew it could become much louder easily. " Look at that mess! Go and fetch a cloth!"

There was no use at all in saying it was not his fault – Pippin was the youngest, nobody would make him fetch a cloth and clean the table. Before Saradoc could get angry (he liked to be angry with Frodo) and tell him to clean _all _the tables Frodo hurried away, not without casting a none-too-friendly look over his shoulder.

When he came back Pearl and her friends had left already and so had Saradoc and aunt Esmeralda. Merry and Pippin were arguing – once again.

Frodo listened to their babblings as he cleaned the table. "How come Pearl is here?" he wanted to know. Pippin looked up from his plate innocently" Accompanying me," he answered, for a moment forgetting that he was still quarrelling with Merry.

"Father said I'm too young to come all the way from the Great Smials to Brandy Hall on my own. Pearl came with me – deliberately." Now it was Frodo's turn to blush. He returned to the kitchen as fast as he could manage, taking a few of the empty plates with him. " FRODO!" Merry called, in a voice as if Pippin had just punched him. "What is it?" Frodo turned around abruptly, almost dropping his plates. " Are you going to wash the dishes tonight?" Merry asked. " No," Frodo answered " Saradoc didn't say anything about me having to help _after _dinner as well, did he?" He smiled in a sort of mischievous way; Pippin was sure that Pearl would have swooned had she seen it. "So -," Merry continued. " Will you play with me?" " I will," Frodo promised and Merry beamed at him. "And with me?" Pippin chirped. Frodo nodded, but Merry shook his head rigorously. The oldest of the three – expecting another tantrum – left swiftly. Pippin stared down at his furry feet. " Why won't you have me play with you?" he whispered. Merry couldn't help but smile " I would have you play with us – if only you were a little bit older. My mother will make sure you go to bed soon. She'll never allow you to come with us." Had there still been any plates within his reach Pippin would have been more than glad to throw them at Merry.

The latter however got up quickly, and taking some more plates with him, he followed Frodo.

Pippin was left behind. A few other young hobbits were sitting at the other end of the table – most of them girls, all of them older than Pippin.

He jumped from his chair and strolled towards the front door again, hoping that neither his sister nor Esmeralda or anyone else who wanted to 'look after him well' would see him. He sat down on the front-steps, staring at the evening sky in frustration. Everyone thought being the youngest was so good a thing, but it was actually the worst that could possibly happen to you.

The sky was still of a dark a blue, but the moon was already very clearly to be seen, and a single white star twinkled on the horizon. He would have enjoyed the scenery very much, had he not been in such a bad mood.

Something was purring to his right side. Pippin recognized the white-pawed cat at once. He rubbed the cat's head carefully, and it purred louder.

He could hear footsteps approaching and flinched, accidentally poking his little fingers into the cat's eyes. It hissed at him and ran away. Pippin looked out for somewhere to hide, but that someone was already standing behind him. Surely this would be his sister, telling him to come in, wash his feet and go to bed.

It was not Pearl, though, and neither was it Esmeralda – it was Frodo, who made a sign for Pippin to be silent. " Hurry," he whispered, "we will not leave you alone, little cousin. Both Esmeralda and Pearl are busy, come on, but be silent for now."

" I won't say a word!" Pip exclaimed, and then muttered something that sounded like an apology. "_Quiet,"_ Frodo hissed, as he took Pippin by the hand and ran down the stairs. They hid behind one of the cherry trees close to the road. The young hobbit suddenly made the impression of one who was starving. Smirking all over his face Frodo pulled him away.

On the road they met Merry and another hobbit lad called Berilac. He was smaller than Merry, but rather stout and fatty. His hair was of a light brown, his hazel eyes round and cheery. His cheeks were rosy and he was just chewing on a large apple.

Together they set out to find a place where they could play.

There were many small forests close to Brandy Hall, and the Old Forest, of course. But none of the young hobbits was too eager to play there, especially not at nightfall and with Pippin in their guard. The trees, went the saying, were easily disturbed and gruesome in their rage. Young hobbits jumping over their roots and using their branches as swords would probably make the old trees fairly angry.

The four of them walked down a small, winding path. Thick bushes were growing to both sides of it; Pippin spotted some late strawberries under one of them. He had no opportunity to eat them; Frodo was still holding his hands and walking at a fast pace. Trees replaced bushes and soon they were walking through a small forest. Most of the leafs were still green, but some had already changed into red and yellow. They looked like gold and fire in the soft light of the sunset.

As they reached a small clearing Frodo cast a questioning look at Merry, who sat down on a large stone and crossed his legs. " Let's play rangers and orcses," he suggested, chewing on a long blade of grass. Berilac and Frodo nodded in agreement; Pip made himself comfortable on another stone without saying a word. He had the odd impression of having been through this scene already, and not too long ago. Merry in the meantime kept chattering joyfully, seemingly without taking breaths between his sentences. " All right?" Pippin heard him ask. " Let's start then. Berilac, I'll count to …count to…oh well I'll just wait some time, and then we'll follow." He chuckled. Before Pippin could figure out what all that talking and chuckling was about he felt how he was lifted up and thrown over someone's shoulder. "Stop!" he yelled, terrified. Why was the world the wrong way around?

Why had the sky turned into a darkening ground and why were large trees growing from a greenish brown heaven?

"Let me down!" he screeched, " Let me down, will you! Let me down!"

Merry grinned at Frodo as their screaming cousin was carried away. " I did not know he was that good at pretending to be in pain. Did you?" Frodo grinned back, not less broadly. " Of course I did. When I went to the Great Smials last I saw him pretending his tummy was hurting because his mommy wanted him to help with the laundry – he preferred to be sitting in the sun and being told stories about the elves…" He sat down too, facing Merry. Pippins screams echoed through the otherwise silent forest. " It's so good to be back," Frodo said " I missed you all."

" Why don't you stay then?" Merry asked hopefully " you could bring that friend of yours – Samwise – with you if you wanted to. There's enough to eat and enough room for half of Hobbiton…or … is there another reason your visits have been so rarely lately? Maybe there's a girl I don't know of…_uh_!" Frodo had gathered some faded leafs and thrown them at Merry. The younger hobbit laughed. " All right then, I won't keep asking. Still – you have to visit again very soon. It is so boring at Brandy Hall when Pip is staying at the Smials…and Berilac does not have as much time for playing as he used to have," the child sighed, " he is learning his letters this summer…" Frodo leant forwards to hug his cousin. " Poor little-know-it-all, you are," he said, but in a friendly, soothing voice. " Who is regretting now to have learned his letters already two years ago?" Merry had always been a clever young hobbit, and when he had wanted to learn how to read and write at the age of eleven Frodo had been glad to teach him.

"Should we not go and search for Pip?" he finally broke the silence.

….

It was not hard to find Berilac and Pippin, although they were very well hidden. All Frodo and Merry had to do was to follow the little one's pathetic screams.

When Berilac the Orc lay on the floor, slain and his gruesome knife (it was actually made of wood) buried under him, Merry and Frodo rejoiced, but Pippin kept sobbing.

He was tired (something he would never admit), scared (he would not admit that either, but it was obvious), hungry, and wanted to go home. Nobody listened to him, the three other ones – even Frodo – were already talking about starting again. Emitting a particularly loud sob, Pip turned on his heals and trudged away. He could hear Frodo call out for him, but he did not turn around.

He knew he was behaving in a very childish way, but he did not care. Today everything seemed to turn out wrong; it was his right to be childish!

The three older lads were exchanging looks full of guilt. Pippin had already been tired after dinner; they should have played something less exiting.

"One should make sure he does not get lost," Frodo sighed.

"No need" came Merry's grumbled answer " he never does."

He ducked as Frodo's eyes almost pierced him.

…

"Pearl…"

The young hobbit lass told her friends Lavender and Estella to be silent. Had somebody just called her name?

"Pearl!" somebody was calling her name indeed, and rather loud by now.

She got up sighing and opened the door. " Who's there?" she asked, although she already knew. It was her younger brother Pip.

"PEARL!" he wailed.

She knelt down; scared at first, but then she smiled. " Poor little Pip, it's not your day today, is it?

Now, what has happened this time? Did Merry try to wash your hair again?"

"What's the matter with him? Why is he crying?" that was Lavender, who tried to peer over Pearl's shoulder to have a look at Pippin. "He must be hungry;" said Estella, grabbed a few biscuits from a plate and gave them to the little boy.

" I don't know what's the matter with him, he's not like that usually…"

"They are _mean_! And Berilac was an orc and Merry was mean too and Frodo wanted to save me but he did not and…"

He stopped, watching his sister's face.

She would not have minded to be the orc's victim, not with the prospect of being rescued by Frodo, for sure.

"Close the door," Pippin sobbed "I don't want them to hear…" Without taking her gaze from her brother Pearl threw the door shut.

"Was that it?" she asked. "Or is there anything else I have to know?"

"Yes," he blurted, " Frodo made me eat too many cherries. My tummy is hurting." He sniffled.

"Did he? I'll have a word with him."

Pippin nodded, thoughtfully chewing on his biscuit as if trying to figure out the ingredients.

He had forgotten his tummy as soon as he had mentioned it.

The three girls looked at each other.

" We were playing pretend," Lavender said. " You can play with us, if you want to. You could be our sick little child or something like that"

"He's tired," Pearl insisted on taking Pip to his bed, but as no one else offered to be the child she made Pip choose.

Pippin had been ill only once and it had been a rather unpleasant experience. But given the choice between going to bed and pretending to be a sick child he chose the latter.

…

"Pearl? Pearl! _Pearl!!!"_

"You've got another little brother?" Lavender asked as a new voice screamed for her friend.

"What the …" Pearl thrust the door open, causing Frodo to flinch as it missed his face by inches. "I'm sorry, Frodo!" Pearl exclaimed. " Did I hit you?"

Frodo shook his head and tried to have a look at Pip, who managed to hide under Lavender's skirt. Frodo was surely going to shout at him for running away.

The girl jumped. "Stop. That." she emphasized each word and shot Pippin a furious glance. The little hobbit sat down on Lavender's bed and covered his eyes with his hands.

Frodo smiled. " I just wanted to make sure he is alright. He ran away and I thought he could get lost." He grinned down at Pearl. The young hobbit lass couldn't help but wondering if Frodo was actually able to make his eyes extra blue at will.

"Pip is fine," she said "He'll stay with us until it's time for him to go to bed." The lad hid his surprise well. Pip used to tell everyone that he did not like girls, and that girl's games were boring. "All right," Frodo said. "I'll see you at breakfast, then?"

…

Pearl left the door open much longer than it was necessary and when she finally closed it she bore a peculiar expression on her face.

Pippin jumped up from the bed, walked over to her and stared at her crossly

"You said you were going to have a word with him!"

"I had," his sister said dreamingly " More than one…"

Pippin sighed; if all grown-ups or almost grown ups were like that he would prefer staying a child.

"Can we play, then?" Estella was growing slightly impatient.

"All right," Pearl got a horrible nightgown out of the drawer.

A _girl's _nightgown.

"What's that?" Pippin asked, frowning at the awful ribbons and embroideries. "That's for you, love," Pearl said, beaming at him. " You are going to be our sick little girl…"

Pip wished for the floor to open and to swallow him.

They made him put on the ugly dress, they took his temperature and finally they forced him to lay down in the cradle (he was too big for it. His feet wouldn't fit in anymore, whatever the three girls tried).

When they actually started discussing if giving him - _her - _a sponge bath wouldn't be nice, Peregrin worked himself out of the cradle, stammered something about being too tired to play pretend any longer and went to search for his aunt. She made him drink a huge cup of hot milk and tucked him in neatly afterwards.

…

He waited for sleep (and for Merry) to come with a child's welcoming confidence; lying on his back, his heels spread to the corners of the bed, hands tucked under the soothing cool under his pillows, sheets pushed down to his waist.

Bluish moonlight fell through the round window on the floor, squared in four by the shadows of the window's crossbar.

Pippin was tired by now, very tired, but still he wanted to wait for his cousin. There was something important he had to ask.

His eyes dropped closed. He had to find something interesting, something that would keep him awake. He started counting the stones in the wall, but as he could only count to twenty it became rather boring all too soon.

He sang an old lullaby to himself, yawning ever so often.

His eyes dropped closed again.

Someone came in. Pippin opened his eyes; moonlight got caught in their green depths.

He had forgotten his question.

Merry yawned loudly. Humming a melody he searched for his nightgown, found it, let himself fall down onto his bed and was silent.

"Merry," Pippin whispered, as he suddenly remembered what he wanted to ask. "Are you sleeping?"

"Hmm…" made his cousin, obviously on the verge of sleep.

"How old are you?" Pippin asked hastily, dreading his cousin would fall asleep before giving an answer. Dreading he would forget his question again if he had to wait any longer.

"I'm twelve," Merry mumbled, " I thought you knew."

"I did," the hobbit child said, moved his feet under his sheets and added " Eight"

"Eight what?" Merry turned around, he was now facing the wall and his voice seemed to be yet sleepier than before. " Eight nothing. Sleep well Merry". The older one sniggered softly

"I will, if you let me. Sweet dreams, little cousin".

Silence sank down on the small room.

A small child was weeping somewhere, a door creaked and a beautiful voice sang a song about the first red apples of the year. Somebody was already preparing breakfast in the nearby kitchen.

Brandy Hall never went to sleep.

Smiling contently Pippin slipped his hands out from under his pillow, crossed them at the wrist and wagged them. The shadow of a gull flew across the moonlight on the floor.

He sighed with relief and pulled up his sheets.

Only eight more years and he would be older than Merry!

He smiled, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


End file.
